Machine for dipping and wiping box toe stiffeners



Aug. 3, 1965 Filed Jan. 9, 1963 L. D. BARTLEY MACHINE FOR DIPPING AND WIPING BOX TOE STIFFENERS f --ffwfr 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 @wir fm? 4Z/7@ E MW L. D. BARTLEY Aug. 3, 1965 MACHINE FOR DIPPING AND WIPING BOX TOE STIFFENERS Filed Jan. 9, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ug- 3 1965 L. D. BARTLEY 3,198,166

MACHINE FOR DIPPING AND WIPING BOX TOE STIFFENERS Filed Jan. 9. 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 L. D. BARTLEY Aug. 3, 1965 MACHINE FOR DIPPING AND WIPING BOX TOE STIFFENERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 9, 1963 United States Patent O H3166 MACHINE FR BIIPING AND WEIN@ ESQ/X T023 STIFFENERS Lewis D. Bartley, '7 Spoierti St., Newburyport, Mass. Filed Jan. 9, 1963, Ser. No 259,280 7 Ciams. (Ci. 11S-l1) This invention relates to a machine for dipping a piece of sheet material in a pool of liquid and wiping excess liquid therefrom as it is lifted from the pool. It is an object of the invention to provide a machine which accepts one by one sheet objects such, for example, as box toe stiffeners, dips the object in a pool of liquid to condition the object, wipes excess liquid therefrom and presents the object in a convenient position to be grasped. While not limited t any particular sheet object or conditioning liquid, the machine is hereinafter described as designed for dipping composition box toe stiffeners in a liquid which temporarily softens them so that they can readily be lasted with the other elements of shoe uppers.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description thereof and to the drawings, of which FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the same;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional View, on a larger scale, taken on the line 3 3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, on a larger scale, taken on the line 4 4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5 5 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a portion of FIGURE 6 with parts broken away to show in section, some of the parts being shown in a different position of operation; and

FIGURES 8, 9, l0 and l1 are portions of FIGURE 5, showing the parts in different positions of operation.

The machine illustrated on the drawings comprises a box 2i), conveniently rectangular, in the bottom of which a pool 22 of liquid is maintained at a constant level by a bottle 24- of the liquid which is inverted in a receptacle 26 connected in the usual manner to the box 2t?. A pair of laterally elongated parallel gripper jaws 28, 3f) are provided to seize a box toe stiifener W or the like, the

jaws being carried by a pair of arms 32, 34, which revolve around the axis of a shaft 36. As indicated in FIGURE 6, the shaft 36 revolves in a fixed sleeve 38 which is secured to one side wall of the box and extends part of the way toward the other side wall. shaft 36 goes through both side walls of the box and is connected by a reducing gear in a gear box 40 to a motor 42, the motor being controlled by a microswitch 44 which includes a plunger 46 spring-pressed to move from the retracted, switch-off position shown in FIGURES 1, 3 and 6 to the switch-on position shown in FIGURE 7. The end of the arm 32 is loose on the sleeve 38 but the end of the arm 34 is keyed to the shaft 36 so that when the shaft is rotated, the frame or yoke consisting of the arms 32, 24 and the jaws 2S, 30 revolve with it.

When the moving parts are in their normal position of rest, the frame is in a substantially horizontal plane and the jaws 28, 30 are open and ready to receive the end of a box toe stiffener W as illustrated in FIGURE 5. The jaw 30 is rigidly secured to ends of the arms 32, 34. The jaw 28 is secured to ends of two arms 48, 5t) which are respectively attached to the arms 32, 34 by pivots 52, 54. The arm 48 is short and is connected to the arm 32 by a tension spring 56 which tends to rock the arm 48 so as to move the jaw 28 close to the jaw 36 in order to grip an object between the jaws. The arm is longer and carries The Patented Aug. 3, i365 at its free end a cam follower 5S which rides on a fixed cam 6i) attached to the fixed sleeve 38 to open the jaws as hereinafter described and to hold them open when the parts are in their normal position of rest. A stop element 62 is provided to ensure that after each revolution of the shaft 36 and the frame which is attached to it, the jaws will stop in the correct position of rest. The stop element is fixed on a vertical plate 64 within the box 20 which extends most of the way across the box 20 near the front wall thereof. The ends of the plate 64 are bent forward as at 66 and 68 for pivotal attachment to ears 76, 72 projecting from the inside of the front wall of the box 26. A spring 74 is provided to press the plate 6ft toward its stopping position. A horizontal trigger plate 76 is secured to the upper edge of the plate 64 and projects out from the box. The bent end 68 of the plate 64 is narrowed and tapered, the terminal portion 78 being thickened and provided with a hole through which a pin Si) is slidably fitted. The pin 80 also passes through a short slot 82 in a side wall of the box 2t) and has a conical tip 84 ion its outer end which normally presses against the end of the plunger 46 to keep the switch 44 in the open or switch-oi position. The pin S6 and plunger 46 are normally held in this position by a wedge cam S6 mounted on the arm 34. When the trigger is momentarily depressed by a touch of the finger, the plate 64 rocks to move the stop element 62 from under the jaw 36 and at the same time swings its bent end 68 to shift the pin S6 sufficiently in the slot S2 to move it out of alignment with the plunger 46, whereupon the plunger moves out to the switch on position (FIGURE 7), starting the motor 42. This rotates the shaft 36 and the frame which is attached thereto. With the initial movement of the frame, the wedge cam 86 moves out of contact with the pin 8f) so that when the return of the trigger plate 76 to its normal position shifts the pin laterally into alignment with the plunger 46, the pin 80 can shift inward and thus avoid pushing the plunger 46 to its switch-off position until the frame has nearly completed its revolution around the shaft 36. The initial movement of the frame also causes the cam follower 58 to ride off the cam 60, permitting the spring 56 to close the jaws 28, 36 on anything, suchas a box toe stiifener, which has been inserted between them. The cam is thus inoperative until the revolution of the frame nears completion. The gripped article is then swung down through the pool 22 and around again to an inclined stationary table 96 which is supported by legs 92 secured to the sleeve 33. The table 94) is preferably corrugated, as indicated in FIGURE 4, so that the moistened work pieces will be less apt to cling to its surface. The table has a forward portion 9d which slopes down to proximity to the jaws 28, 30 when the jaws are in their normal position of rest. This forward portion 94 serves to guide fresh work pieces into the opening between the jaws and to prevent such work pieces from accidentally falling into the pool 22.

After a work piece W has been dipped by being pulled through the pool 22 by the jaws 28, 30, the excess liquid is wiped from the faces of the work piece by wiper plates 100, 162 which are supported over the rear portion of the pool and converge upwardly until their upper edges touch. The plate In@ is hinged at 164 to the bottom of the box 22 and is pressed toward the plate 162 by a spring 106. The plate 1.62 is pivoted between two fixed brackets 108, lit) extending down from the fixed sleeve 3S. A spring 112 presses the plate 102 toward the plate 160. The plates litt?, 102 are shaped and arranged so that their upper edges meet approximately in the circular` path of movement of the jaws 2S, 30. As is evident from FIG- URE 6, the spacing between the arms 32 and 34 is plates, asshown in FGURE'Q, thus Yavoiding clash of metal on metal. f The saddle Athen serves to 'separate a hinged cover member 116 from contact with the'bend 1li-8 between the Atable 90 and its extension 92. When the jaws have pulled the leading portion of the work piece W through the nip between the parts 116, 118', the cam follower-58 reachesa portion of the cam 69' which causes' the jaws to open (FIGURE 11)*releasing the work piece with yits leading portion protruding from the nip between the vparts 116, 118, in convenient position to be grasped by the operator. The cover member 116 is hinged at 120 toa larger cover 122 which in turn is hinged Vat 124 to the rear wall Vofthe box. A spring12r6 causes the member 116 to press yieldingly against the bendlll.

its forward ex-Y enseres When the jaws have released the work piece as they near the completion of their revolution about the shaft.`

36, the wedge cam 86 on the arm 32 moves into contact with the inner end of the pin S0 which in the meantime has become aligned with the plunger to when the operator releases the trigger 74. The wedge cam 86-forcesthe pin Sib outward againstthe plunger 46. This opens the switch 44 and shuts off the Ymotor 42 which coasts until the jaws are stopped in their correct normal position by the stop element 62. The contact with the element 22 is made by the nylon saddle 114, thusagain preventing the clash of metal upon metal.

Recapitulating the cycle of operations,. a box ltoe stiffener is placed on the guide 94 Vand slips down until a small part yof it is between the jaws 28, 36. Ther operatorY presses on the trigger '74 which retracts the stop element `62 and causes the switch 44ste close, thus starting ,they

motor 42. The cam follower 58 at once rides off the cam 60, permitting the spring 56 to closeV the jawslthtiV on the leading end ofthe box toe stitfener. Theshaft 36 makes one quick revolution, swinging thelbox toe stiffener down through the pool 22,-then up between the wipers Y l 160, 102 to the VtableSt), the nylonsaddle 114 servin-g'to. separate thewipers to let the` jawsthroughwith a Yminimum ofA noise. 116 from the topmost point of the table 96 toilet-the jaws pass between. When the Vjawshave passed beyond the topmost point of the table 90, the cam follower: 5S engaging the cam 6@ rocks the arm 5t) to open the jaws and release the work piece, as indicated in FIGURE 11, leaving it in about the position indicated inV FIGURE 5.." When iin Vthis position the workpiece is lightly Yheld byY the cover memberrllo pressing it down on the topmost point of the table 9d, the leading end of the workpiece projectingforward in position to be easily grasped and The saddle also lifts the cover. member.Y l

position Vof rest, said cam being shaped to permit said spring means toA close `said jaws immediately after a revolution-of Isaid frame starts from said position of rest and to keep the jaws closed until the frame has nearly completed its revolution, means for rota-ting saidshaft, astop member mounted on lsaid receptaclenor-mally in Y the path of said jaws and engaged by said jaws when in 'Wardlytherefronn the .lower edge of one of said plates being adjacent to said jaws when the jaws are at rest, the

other plate Ihaving a corrugated sur-face, a hinged cover member-over saidjtable, and .spring means pressing said cover down on the ridge of said table. l

d. Apparatus for rconditioning pieces of sheetmaterial, comprising a rectangular receptacle for a. pool of liquid, said receptacle having iront, rear and side walls, a horizontalV transverse shaft. journalled in the sidel wails of said receptacle,Y a frame Vswingable by said shaft about the axis thereof, said frame comprising two parallel arms extending radially with respect to the axis fof the shaft and laterallyVelonga-ted parallel jaws extending Yfrom one ofsai-d arms to the other and carried'thereby, said frame having a normal position of rest inv a substantially horizontal plane with said jaws yadjacent to the front wall of the receptacle, an electric motor operatively connected to said shaft, a normally open switch mounted on a side wall of said receptacle to control saidm'otona trigger member movably mounted on the'front wall of said receptacle, said trigger Vmember havingY .a stop'element normally in the'path of .and engaged by said frame when the frame is in its positlon of frest, means including a Vportion of said trigger member-normally holding said switch in the switch-off inserted between the jaws and to open said jawsl to release the work piece astheframe approaches the,y completion of a revolutionlabout the shaft, means on said frame operating tof openrsaid switch assaid jaws approach said stop awork piece lifted from said vpoolby said' jaws.

withdrawn. After the jaws have been opened'ras described, y Y

they continue: their motion until stopped by the engagement ofthe saddle 114 with the stop element 62.,Y Asthe arms which carry the jaws approach their normal positionA of rest, the wedge cam 86 pushes the pin 80 and plunger 46 to close the switch 44. This completesgthe cycle and, f

presents a dipped work pieceV to thejoperatror, leaving thej machine ready for the insertion of another work piece.

I claim: Y

1. Apparatus for conditioning pieces of sheet material, Y

comprising Va receptacle for a pool of liquid, la horizontal shaft in said receptacle rotatable above said pool, a lframe swingable by said shaft in a circular orbit aboutthe axis thereof, said frame including two laterally elongated jawsv parallel'to the axis of said shaft, spring means tendingrtroY 5J Apparatus as describe-d 'in claim'jt, and means for releasably holding va work piece after it has been dipped andwiped, said holding means comprising a table mounted in said receptacle-over said shaft, said table comprising ftwo Vplates forming aridge 'and diverging downwardly therefrom, 4the lower edge of one of saidplates being. ad- .jacent .tosaid jaws when the jaws areat rest, the other plate having `a corrugatedy surface, a covermemberl mov- .ably mounted Aover said table, and spring means'pressing j said cover member onsaid ridge of the table; Y

v table' whensaid frame is revolving. Y

f '17. Apparatus for conditioningpieces of sheet material, comprisinga rectangular receptaclefor a pooll of liquid, a horizontal tubular sleeve secured to one side wall of said receptacle Zand extending part ofthe Wayrto the other side close said jaws, a iixed cam'mounted in said receptable,

means including a cam follower .engaging said cam for holding said jawsopen when said frameis 1n' a normal t wall, a shaft rotatably iitted in said VsleeveY and Vprojecting thijoughsaid other side wall, an electric motor operatively connected to said-shaft, a-Vframe'swingable by sai-d shaft about the axis thereof from a normal position of rest, said frame comprising two parallel arm-s projecting radially from said shaft and respectively adjacent to said side walls of the receptacle and a pair of laterally elongated parallel jaws carried 'by said arms and extending lfrom the end of one to the end of the other, one of said arms being secured to said shaft between said other side W-all of the receptacle and the adjacent end of said sleeve, the other said arm loosely embracing said sleeve, a trigger member mounted on the inside of Ithe front wall of 10 approaches the completion of a revolution from its normal position of rest.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 474,163 5/ 92 Cunny 198-210 X 695,216 3/02 Lang 118-426 1,653,610 y12/.27 Aitchison 118-426 X 1,803,951 5/31 Thoma 118-121 1,927,954 9/33` Schoenky 118-423 X 2,027,461 1/ 36 Anderson 1v1 8-122 RICHARD D. NEVIUS, Primary Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING PIECES OF SHEET MATERIAL, COMPRISING A RECEPTACLE FOR A POOL OF LIQUID, A HORIZONTAL SHAFT IN SAID RECEPTADLE ROTATABLE ABOVE SAID POOL, A FRAME SWINGABLE BY SAID SHAFT IN A CIRCULAR ORBIT ABOUT THE AXIS THEREOF, SAID FRAME INCLUDING TWO LATERALLY ELONGATED JAWS PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID SHAFT,SPRING MEANS TENDING TO CLOSE SAID JAWS, A FIXED CAM MOUNTED IN AID RECEPTABLE, MEANS INCLUDING A CAM FOLLOWER ENGAGING SAID CAM FOR HOLDING SAID JAWS OPEN WHEN SAID FRAME IS IN A NORMAL POSITION OF REST, SAID CAM BEING SHAPED TO PERMIT SAID SPRING MEANS TO CLOSE SAID JAWS IMMEDIATELY AFTER A REV- 